Early Bird Deadline

Thursday 9 May 2019

Diversity Role Models

What did it do?

Diversity Role Models was set up in 2011 to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools. The charity aims to prevent bullying by educating all young people about differences in sexuality and gender identity, challenging stereotypes and tackling misuse of language.

How did it do this?

The charity runs hour-long student workshops where people talk about their own experiences of being different. In primary schools, the focus is on celebrating different families; secondary school workshops gently challenge young people's stereotypes and invite them to consider the outcomes of their words and actions. The charity has secured a three-year funding partnership with the Royal Bank of Scotland that has allowed it to expand geographically and increase its staff to seven. The charity's teacher training programme, delivered in conjunction with the sexual health charity Brook, received government funding in April this year.

Why did it win?

In just four years, DRM has delivered more than 1,000 workshops, reaching more than 23,000 students in 105 schools. After taking part in the workshops, 88 per cent of students said they would intervene if they saw homophobic bullying.

What did the judges say?

Alex Feis-Bryce, chief executive of National Ugly Mugs, said: "The charity has grown to meet demand without losing any element of its ethos."